WASHINGTON- Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) voted against H.R. 7, the Democrats so-called “Paycheck Fairness Act”. While this legislation proports to help women in the workforce, it offers no new protections against pay discrimination. Instead, it benefits trial lawyers over working women by creating a system that would allow for never-ending frivolous lawsuits against job creators.
“Everyone deserves equal pay for equal work. Unfortunately, the so-called Paycheck Fairness Act is nothing more than a messaging bill that would benefit trial lawyers instead of women in the workforce and impose a costly and burdensome “one-size fits all” mandate on businesses. Rather than promoting workplace equality, H.R. 7 opens the door for frivolous lawsuits, in turn creating disincentives to hiring women and perpetuating the very discrimination the Majority claims they hope to solve. It also limits the rights of prospective employees in the hiring process and impedes American job creators with millions of dollars in compliance costs. Hardworking Americans and businesses should have the freedom to choose what’s best for them, not the federal government.”
Wittman continued, “Equal pay for equal work has been the law of the land since the passing of the Equal Pay Act in 1963, and I share the commitment to preventing discrimination in the workplace and support legal recourse if such discrimination occurs. However, there remains a gender pay gap, which reveals that, on average, women receive lower pay than men. That’s why I am a cosponsor of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s Wage Equity Act, which updates existing federal law to better protect women’s. Unlike the Majority’s bill, our version works cooperatively with small businesses by updating existing federal law to better enforce equal pay for equal work.”
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the Vice Ranking Member of the full Committee and Ranking Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.
